A/N: OK! i'll stop torturing you now...3rd chapter!

Chapter 3

Harry's whole mind went blank. Had Severus Snape really just asked him that? Surely Severus must've read his mind. It was what he'd wanted all summer. Please don't let this all just be dream! Harry thought hopefully.

Severus watched as the boy gaped in shock at him for several minutes. Give it time to sink in. Just because he didn't answer doesn't mean he hates me...WHY IS HE JUST STANDING THERE LOOKING AT ME?

Harry finally thought it would be impolite to keep Severus hanging.

"O-of course I would, Severus!" he exclaimed, a smile breaking onto his face.

Severus inwardly sighed in relief before smiling back.

Harry saw something in Severus's face change. "Did you honestly think I would say no?" he asked.

"Of course not!" Severus scoffed. How had the boy noticed? Was the relief showing all over his face? He attempted to compose himself again.

The rest of the day seemed to go by in a blurr for Harry. Severus was going to adopt him! Everytime he repeated the words in his head, he could feel a foolish grin appearing on his face. Hermione was ecstatic about it; all day she'd say things like "That's wonderful, Harry!" or "Congratulations!" or "It's wonderful, right Ron?"

Ron, for the most part, refused to say anything on the subject. He'd simply nod or change the subject to Quidditch. Harry suspected he was still having a hard time trusting Severus.

The third time this happened, Hermione scoffed, "Ronald Weasley! Stop being so melancholy and congratulate your best friend right now!"

Ron did, but still refused to talk about Severus. Harry tried not to be to hurt; it was his birthday after all.

Severus, for his part, thought Ron was being rather a git, and told him so when Harry had walked into Flourish and Blotts to get his schoolbooks. That had gotten the pair of them yelling at each other quite fiercely before Hermione finally told them to lay off or it would ruin Harry's birthday. Severus had obliged; Ron had sulked.

"Bloody git,"

"Ten points from Gryffindor for your disrespect, Mister Weasley."

"But we're not even in school yet!" Ron gaped

"Another ten points," Severus replied simply.

Ron was fuming by the time Harry came out, looking quite cheerful (and oblivious). His smile faded when he saw the look on Ron face.

"Everything allright?"

"You see, Ronald?" Hermione glared.

"OY! He started it!" Ron snapped, pointing to Severus.

"Will I have to take yet another ten points from Gryffindor, Mister Weasley?" Severus snarled.

"How can you even do that?" Harry wondered aloud. "We're not even in school yet."

"I told him the same bloody thing! But no! He still has to be a bloody, greasy, slimy, oily little ba-"

"FIFTY POINTS, MISTER WEASLEY! KEEP IT UP!"

Ron fumed. "You-you just took seventy bloody points from our house! God, Snape! I hate you! And you-MERLIN'S BEARD! YOU'RE using harry1 I KNOW YOU ARE, AND DON'T YOU DARE THINK I DON'T! YOU'RE GOING TO GAIN HIS TRUST THEN HAND HIM OVER TO VOLDEMORT, AREN'T YOU? AREN'T YOU?"

By this time, people had begun to stare, Severu's face had gone pale, and Harry had stepped in front of Ron.

"SHUT UP, RON! JUST SHUT UP! I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY! YOU'RE JUST JEALOUS IS ALL! AND YOU-" he blinked, but the tears were already coming out of his eyes. "I don't know why I agreed to this. I don't want to see you ever again! Cmon, Sev, please, let's just..go."

A/N: STUPID RON! O.o